Mick Fuller selected as the next NSW Police Commissioner

By Ava Benny-Morrison, Nick Ralston

Updated30 March 2017 — 12:53pmfirst published at 9:54am

The fight against terrorism and organised crime as well as bolstering community policing will be key areas for incoming NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller, who has labelled the sought-after appointment his proudest career moment.

Hours after receiving the phone call informing him he would take the top job, news that nearly caused his wife to "pass out", Mr Fuller outlined his vision alongside Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Police Minister Troy Grant.

The 49-year-old flagged a different leadership style to that of his predecessor, Andrew Scipione, which will change a policing model that has existed for 20 years.

"I think I have a different brief to him in fairness and my brief is about moving NSW Police into the future," he said at Parliament House on Thursday.

The new NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller at NSW Parliament House on Thursday.

Photo: Daniel Munoz

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"It is not about keeping the same model we had 20 years ago. That is no criticism to him. I just feel that is my perspective."

Mr Fuller was the successful candidate out of a pool of applicants including Deputy Commissioner Catherine Burn and former deputy commissioner Nick Kaldas.

The pair have been embroiled in long-standing, public animosity stemming back to a police bugging operation in the early 2000s.

Mr Fuller outlined a vision for structural reform in the force and putting to bed the infighting that has plagued, and at times distracted, the senior ranks over the years.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione at a press conference on February 2, during which he announced his retirement.

Photo: Janie Barrett

"I hear too much about, 'Are you team A or are you team B?' " he said.

"There are no more teams. There is not a team Fuller. It is about the community."

He suggested those who didn't want to follow the "community first journey" could move on to other things in life.

Touching on a current review under way to help re-engineer the police structure, Mr Fuller signalled that this would eventually help in the fight against, and prevention of, terrorism and organised crime.

"We need to get our policing model right on the ground," he said.

"We need to get our police numbers right for the community, not just metropolitan Sydney but right across the state.

"We will be putting a key focus on not only country policing but the way we deal with mid-level and more serious crime in the country."

Earlier at a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning, Ms Berejiklian put Mr Fuller forward as her preferred candidate to fill the job and announced his appointment shortly after.

Mr Fuller has a strong operational background.

He has served in the NSW Police Force for 29 years,16 of which were spent as a commissioned officer, with the past seven years in the executive.

The state government said Mr Fuller's appointment signalled the "beginning of a new chapter" in the state's police force.

"I am very glad that the robust selection process has delivered an excellent new commissioner," Ms Berejiklian said.

"The depth of talent in the top tiers of NSW Police, and among those external candidates who put their hand up for the job, was extraordinary."

Mr Fuller, an assistant commissioner since 2010, has most recently been the commander of the Sydney Central Metropolitan Region.

His appointment comes even though Ms Burn and Dave Hudson, who hold or held the higher rank of deputy commissioner, also applied for the top job.

Mr Fuller is also the NSW Police Force's spokesman for domestic violence and was part of the initial response to the Lindt cafe siege in December 2014.

He has previously worked as a region commander in the state's south as well as leading a number of local area commands and was the force's spokesman for alcohol-related crime.

Mr Fuller's appointment signals generational change in the force, with Ms Burn and Mr Kaldas having long been touted as Mr Scipione's most obvious successors.

The NSW Police Association, which had urged the state government to appoint from within its own ranks, welcomed Mr Fuller's appointment.

Association president Scott Weber said the organisation wanted to work with Mr Fuller to reform the force and ensure officers were stationed where they were most needed in the community.

"It's essential there is an end to the boom and bust cycle of police numbers," Mr Weber said.

"Police numbers should be increased strategically to meet the growing needs of community as determined by an accurate and transparent allocation model.

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"The [force] needs a full audit as this will show where the priority lies for staffing and enable the new Commissioner and the [police] hierarchy to urgently address critical police shortages."

Mr Scipione, the longest serving NSW commissioner since Norman Allan held the post between 1962 and 1972, will leave the force on Friday with a ceremony at Bankstown police station.